Bangladesh's President Mohammed Shahabuddin, appointed during the rule of ousted Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, resigned Friday halfway through his term. This was reported by Qazaqyia.kz citing Associated Press.
Shahabuddin submitted his resignation to Parliament Speaker Hafiz Uddin Ahmad, citing medical reasons. The resignation letter was seen by The Associated Press. The speaker told a news briefing later on Friday that he accepted the resignation.
But local media reported that Shahabuddin had to resign under pressure from the current government as he allegedly talked to Hasina by phone when he visited London for medical treatment in May. The AP could not confirm the incident independently.
Shahabuddin was known to be a trusted follower of Hasina. Following her ouster, he faced strong opposition from a student group that led the uprising against Hasina. The protesters branded him a collaborator of Hasina and took to the streets demanding his resignation and arrest.
A new political party formed by the student leaders of the uprising, the National Citizen Party, has long been campaigning against Shahabuddin. According to Bangladesh's constitution, if the president resigns, the speaker of Parliament automatically takes over the post on an interim basis until a new president is elected by lawmakers.
Shahabuddin was sworn in as the 22nd president of Bangladesh on April 24, 2023. Hasina won a fourth consecutive term in a January 2024 election that was boycotted by major opposition parties.
Shahabuddin's resignation has deprived Hasina of a powerful ally. The ousted prime minister has told mainly Indian media that she wants to return to Bangladesh in December and surrender in court to face charges. India refused to hand over Hasina to Bangladesh despite repeated requests.
In November, a special tribunal on Bangladesh sentenced Hasina to death in absentia for ordering a crackdown on the uprising. The United Nations in a report said nearly 1,400 people were killed in the crackdown. Hasina denied the charges against her from exile.